Construction lock cylinder



May 18, 1965 M. M. CHECK 3,133,692

CONSTRUCTION LOCK CYLINDER Original Filed Sept. 13. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M M Ola 6K May 18, 1965 M. M. CHECK CONSTRUCTION LOCK CYLINDER Original Filed Sept. l5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 IOa INVENTOR. 28/ MM CHECK United States Patent Office:

3,183,692 Patented May 18, 1965 3,183,692 CONSTRUCTION LOCK CYLINDER Mathias M. Check, Strafiord, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Yale & Towne, Inn, New York, N.Y., a company of Ohio Continuation of application Ser. No. 137,767, Sept. 13, 1961. This application Aug. 28, 1963, Ser. No.

Claims. (Cl. 70-383) This application is a continuation of my earlier application Serial No. 137,767 filed September 13, 1961, now abandoned.

This invention relates to construction lock cylinders. Cylinders of the particular class are intended for use on new buildings, and are so designed that they may be operated temporarily by one key, called a builders or construction key. The cylinders then can be converted so as to be operated only by a further key, called the owners key. To be of full value, the cylinders should be so made that a simple operation is all that is necessary to convert them. vAfter the cylinders are converted, the cylinders should offer good security to the owner. The novel concept of my invention is an ingenious and improved construction cylinder that will very effectively contribute the desired operation and characteristics.

In the form that I prefer, my novel construction cylinder has a conventional series of regulation pin tumblers and aligned tumbler drivers sliding in bores in the key plug and driver chambers in the cylinder. The tumblers are formed in accordance with the bittings of the owners key, which for our purposes may be considered the permanent key. Thus, as is usual in pin tumbler cylinders, the owners key will position the tumblers to align their upper ends with the parting line between the key plug and cylinder, allowing the key plug to rotate.

In my invention, I assemble a special driver between one key positioned tumbler and its conventional driver. This special driver may be positioned by a key to rotate with the key plug or to remain in the driver chamber. As a feature of my invention, neither the construction key nor the owners key will allow rotation of the special driver with the key plug.

Thus, I so arrange my cylinder that the special driver,

when set by the movement of its tumbler by the construction key, will be in a position partially within the key plug, but with the greater portion thereof outwardly of the key plug. The owners key will set the tumbler to hold the special driver out of the key plug. A special key, that may be called a shut-out key, is used as part of my invention and is bitted to position the special driver within the key plug.

' As a feature of my invention, I form the special driver with a rounded contour, and preferably in the form of a ball. When the tumblers are set by the construction key, the lower surface of the rounded driver or ball will lie somewhat below the parting line between the key plug and cylinder. The special driver then will be in a position to be cammed outwardly of the key plug into the driver chamber to allow the plug to rotate. By its rounded shape, the special driver will move easily and without jamming, and will make unnecessary the accurate bitting of the key as would otherwise be necessary. If set through use of the owners key, the ball will lie entirely in the driver chamber, since the upper end of the tumbler will be aligned with the parting line.

When it becomes necessary to convert the cylinder for owners operation only, and to shut out persons using the construction key, the shut-out key is used. The shut-out key positions the ball entirely within the key plug to re tion. When the key plug is rotated back to normal position, all of the tumblers will move to locking position, and thereafter the owners key must be used in order to operate the cylinder.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of my novel lock cylinder with the construction key inserted;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section on the line 2-2 in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show partial cross sections illustrating the operation of the cylinder by the construction key;

FIG. 5 shows the shut-out key inserted in the cylinder;

FIG. 6 shows a cross section on the line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the conversion of the cylinder by the shut-out key;

FIG. 9 shows the converted cylinder with the owners key inserted.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1 of the drawings, I prefer to utilize in my novel construction lock cylinder a conventional cylinder body 11 and a conventional key plug 11. Thus, the key plug 11 is mounted to rotate in a bore in the cylinder body 10, and is formed with a series of tumbler bores 12 communicating with a keyway 13. I indicate at 10a a portion of a usual knob sleeve in which cylinder 10 may be mounted. In the bores 12 is a series of sliding pin tumblers 14, one of which I have particularly designated by the numeral 114 so that I may more readily describe my invention. In the normal locks ing position of the key plug 11, the tumblers 14, 114 will be aligned with a corresponding series of drivers 15, 115 that slide in chambers 16 in the cylinder 10. Springs 17 press the drivers 15, 115 toward the tumblers 14, 114 and keyway 13 for locking the key plug 11.

In my invention, as shown in FIG. 1, I particularly assemble a relatively small driver 18 between one tumbler 114 and its corresponding driver 115, that small driver preferably being in the form of a ball and having a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the tumbler 114. While the small driver or ball 18 is present between tumbler 114 and driver 115, the key plug 11 can be rotated through the use of a construction key C. The key C is so bitted as to set the tumbler 114 in the position'clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The particular hitting need not be very precise, it merely being necessary that key C be effective tohold the lower portion of ball 18 partially within the key plug 11 so as to lie slightly across the parting line between key plug 11 and cylinder 10, as shown.

It is important to understand that the construction key C plug 11. Thus, when key C applies rotating pressure,

the key plug 11 will'act against the lowercontour of the ball 18 at a point that I have designated in FIG. 3 by the numeral 18a. Thereby the plug 11 will cam the driver 18 upwardly to lie outside the parting line, allowing the key plug to rotate as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the construction key C will be fully effective to rotate the key plug 11 so long as small driver 18 is present between tumbler 114 and its driver 115.

I now call attention to the fact that 1 form a lower part of the cylinder with an opening 19, shown in PEGS. 2, 6, 7 and 8, and also in phantom in FIGS. 1, 5 and 9. It will be seen that the opening 19 is so arranged that the key plug 11, by'rotating, may align relatively to that opening 19 the bore 12 in which the tumbler 114 is assembled. Also, opening 19 is sufficiently wide to accept the ball 18, but in my preferred arrangement, the opening 19 is somewhat narrower than tumbler 114;.

When it is desired to convert my cylinder so that the construction key C no longer can be used, there will be used a shut-out key S that I show in FIG. 5. The shut-out key S is particularly bitted to permit the tumbler 114 to move to the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in which the small driver or ball 18 is entirely within the key plug 11. The shut-out key S also is bitted to set the remaining tumblers 14 in release position. Thus, the key S can rotate the key plug 11, as shown in FIG. 7, carrying with the-plug not only the tumblers .14, 114, but also the .small driver 18. The key plug 11 then may rotate until the small driver 18 is aligned with the opening 19, allowing small driver 13 to move out of the key plug 11 and into opening 19. If key plug 11 now is rotated back as is indicated in FIG. 8, the small driver 18 will remain in an inactive position in the opening 1,,and no longer will be present between tumbler 114. and driver 115 when the key plug returns to normal locking position. Thereafter, to rotate key plug 11, it will be necessary to utilize the owners key 0, as shown. in FIG. 9, since neitherthe construction key C nor the shut-out'key S is bitted to set tumbler 114 with its upper surface on the parting line.

While I have shown the opening 19 arranged at a particular angle on the cylinder 14 it should be understood that the particular angle actually is not important. In the arrangement that I prefer, it is merely necessary that the small driver or ball 18 be adapted to drop into the opening 19. My invention will operate very well when the opening 19 is formed at an angle which is slightly below the horizontal diameter of the cylinder 10. Then, for my invention to'operate, the key plug 11 need not rotate through an angle that is much more than ninety degrees. That is an advantage because, in many instances, the lock mechanisms with which the cylinders are used willnot permit the key plug to rotate through a very large angle.

When the small driver 18 is a ball, as in mypreferred arrangement, that driver always will move freely and will in no way hinder the required operations of the cylinder. Being free from edges and flat surfaces, as will be appreciated, the ball 18 will have no tendency to jam against othersurfaces in the cylinder. Also, .the cylinder opening 19 being smaller than tumbler 114, that'tumbler cannot jam relatively to the opening; Actually, the presence of the ball 18 in the opening 19 may prevent jamming of that kind,'but I do prefer to make opening 19 relatively small.

. From the description that I havernade, it will be' ap-' preciated that the concept of my invention is an extremely novel construction lock cylinder in which a special driver will move into an opening in the cylinder to reach an inactive position. That movement is not possible unless the specialdriver first moves toa position that is Within the key plug. To enable that driver to move within'the key plug, it is necessary to use a shut-out key.

d owners key, the shut-out key being necessary for that purpose.

Having described my novel construction lock cylinder, I believe that its very considerable value will be understood, and that the merits of my invention will be fully appreciated by those persons skilled in the art.

I now claim:

1. In a combination of the class described, a lock cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, a series of driver chambers in said cylinder aligned with a series of tumbler bores in said key plug as is standard in pin tumbler locks, a regulation driver, a small driver under the regulation driver and a tumbler positioned under the small driver within one aligned driver chamber and tumbler bore, there being drivers and tumblers in the remaining driver chambers and tumbler bores, and said cylinder having an opening into which the small driver drops by gravity to be thereafter'stored by gravity and rendered irretrievable when the key plug is rotated into a particular position carrying with it the tumbler and the small driver after the aligning of the upper contour of the small driver with the parting line between the key plug and cylinder by a key or the like while tumblers and drivers in the remaining chambers and bores are held in release position relatively to said parting line.

2. In a combination of the class described, a lock cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, a series of driver chambers in said cylinder aligned with a series of tumbler bores in said key plug as is standard in pin tumbler locks, a driver, a ball under the driver and a tumbler vertically positioned under the ball within one aligned driver chamber and tumbler bore, there being drivers and tumblers in the remaining driver chambers and tumblerbores, and said cylinder having an opening into which the ball drops by gravity to be thereafter stored by gravity and rendered irretrievable when the key plug is rotated into a particular position carrying with it the tumbler and the ball after the aligning of the upper contour of the ball with the parting line between the key plug and cylinder by a key or the like whilethe'tumblers and drivers in the remaining chambers and bores are held in release position relatively to said parting line.

, 3. In a combination of the class described, a lock cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said'cylinder, a series of driver chambers in said cylinder aligned with a series of tumbler bores in said key plug as is standard in pin tumbler locks, a regulation driver, a small driver under the regulation driver and a tumbler positioned under the small driver within one aligned driver chamber and tumbler bore, the, small driver having a roundedcontour enabling the key plug to cam said small driver into its driver chamber when that driver is set partially within the corresponding tumbler bore by a key or the like, there being drivers and tumblers in the remaining driver chambers and tumbler bores, and said cylinder having an opening into which the small driver drops by gravity to be there- I after stored by gravity and rendered irretrievable when bers and bores are held inrelease position relatively to a said parting line.

V 4. In a combination of the class described, a lock cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, a series of driver chambers in said cylinder aligned witha series of tumbler bores in said key plug as is standard in' pin tumbler locks,

. adriver, a' ball under the driver and a tumbler vertically it will be impossible to convert the cylinder, accidentally or otherwise, through the use of the construction key or positioned under the ball within one particular aligned driver chamber and tumbler bore, there being drivers and tumblers in the other driver chambers and tumbler bores, said cylinder having an opening withwhich the said particular tumbler bore is aligned when the key plug is rotated' into a particular position carrying with it the tu1 n w G. "a

bler and the ball after the positioning of the upper contour of the ball at the parting line between the key plug and cylinder by a key or the like while the remaining tumblers and drivers in the other chambers and bores are also set by said key in release position relatively to said parting line, so that said ball may move outwardly of said particular tumbler bore and into said opening of the cylinder when the key plug is in said particular position.

5. In a combination of the class described, a lock cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, a series of driver chambers in said cylinder aligned with a series of tumbler bores in said key plug as is standard in pin tumbler locks, a regulation driver, a small driver under the regulation driver and a tumbler vertically positioned under the small driver within one particular aligned driver chamber and tumbler bore, the small driver having a rounded contour enabling the key plug to earn said small driver into its driver chamber when that driver is set partially within the corresponding tumbler bore by a key or the like, there being drivers and tumblers in the other driver chambers and tumbler bores, said cylinder having an inner surface opposed to the tumbler bores so that the tumblers cannot move out of the bores when the key plug is rotated into a particular position carrying with it the tumbler and the small driver after the positioning of the upper contour of that driver at the parting line between the key plug and cylinder by a key or the like while the remaining tumblers and drivers in the other chambers and bores are also set by said key in release position relatively to said parting line, and said inner surface of the cylinder having an opening for accepting said small driver to enable that driver to move out of said particular tumbler bore when the key plug is in said particular position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,596,720 5/52 Pastor et a1. 70-364 2,818,723 1/58 Levin 70-383 3,070,987 1/63 Baker et a1 70383 FOREIGN PATENTS 505,759 8/30 Germany.

ALBERT H. KAMPE, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN A COMBINATION OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED, A LOCK CYLINDER, A KEY PLUG ROTATABLE IN SAID CYLINDER, A SERIES OF DRIVER CHAMBERS IN SAID CYLINDER ALIGNED WITH A SERIES OF TUMBLER BORES IN SAID KEY PLUG AS IS STANDARD IN PIN TUMBLER LOCKS, A REGULATION DRIVER, A SMALL DRIVER UNDER THE REGULATION DRIVER AND A TUMBLER POSITIONED UNDER THE SMALL DRIVER WITHIN ONE ALIGNED DRIVER CHAMBER AND TUMBLER BORE, THERE BEING DRIVERS AND TUMBLERS IN THE REMAINING DRIVER CHAMBERS AND TUMBLER BORES, AND SAID CYLINDER HAVING AN OPENING INTO WHICH THE SMALL DRIVER DROPS BY GRAVITY TO BE THEREAFTER STORED BY GRAVITY AND RENDERED IRRETRIEVABLE WHEN THE KEY PLUG IS ROTATED INTO A PARTICULAR POSITION CARRYING WITH IT THE TUMBLER AND THE SMALL DRIVER AFTER THE ALIGNING OF THE UPPER CONTOUR OF THE SMALL DRIVER WITH THE PARTING LINE BETWEEN THE KEY PLUG AND CYLINDER BY A KEY OR THE LIKE WHILE TUMBLERS AND DRIVERS IN THE REMAINING CHAMBERS AND BORES ARE HELD IN RELEASE POSITION RELATIVELY TO SAID PARTING LINE. 